Lib Dem spring conference: Danny Alexander says Gladstone would have been proud of Liberal Democrats' record in government

Senior MPs fear that the party could lose as many as 30 of their 57-seat haul from 2010

Mr Alexander said he still hoped to deliver a Liberal Democrat, rather than coalition, Budget in 2016 as chancellor of the Exchequer (Mark Leftly)

Chief treasury secretary Danny Alexander has claimed that “William Gladstone would have been proud” of the Liberal Democrats record in Government.

Speaking at the Lib Dem conference in Liverpool this morning, Mr Alexander claimed that the great 19th century prime minister would have approved of how the party has raised the point at which people pay income tax to £10,600 over the past five years. The personal allowance was just £6,475 when the coalition took power.

The Conservatives opposed this plan in the run-up to the last general election, but it went through as part of the coalition agreement.

Senior MPs fear that the party could lose as many as 30 of their 57-seat haul from 2010, with Mr Alexander facing a tough fight to retain his constituency in the Highlands.

But Mr Alexander said he still hoped to deliver a Liberal Democrat, rather than coalition, Budget in 2016 as chancellor of the Exchequer - and, to laughter, produced a yellow box as a gimmick. Ministers keep their sensitive documents in red boxes.

Mr Alexander said that it was "within our grasp" to make the UK the most powerful economy in Europe. He also vowed a tougher crackdown on tax evaders, who, he said, treated not paying their obligations as "a sport rather than the crime that it is".